Paper Issues & Stuck Sketches

Wow I can't believe Spring is here!!!!!  Well.....according to the calendar it is here.  But unfortunately we are suppose to be getting more snow tomorrow!!!   It better stop snowing very soon or the poor Easter Bunny is going to have to hide Easter eggs in the snow LOL

The layout that I am sharing today is a Challenge from Paper Issues and Stuck Sketches.  

If you are looking for challenges, sketches, great inspiration and some fun, please check out these great blogs.  Believe me you will not be disappointed!!!!

Here is the sketch

I had a photo that I wanted to scrap, but since it was just a single photo I had to change things a bit to make this sketch work.

All in all this turned out to be a very simple and fast layout to create. Which doesn't usually happen for me.  I am a notoriously slow scrapbooker. So when a layout comes together quickly it is a nice change of pace for me.

The photo is of my youngest granddaughter Miss Avery.   She is the sweetest little nugget in the world and although she is almost 3 years old already, she has only gotten sweeter.

So here is my take on the sketch

I actually used very few embellishments on this layout.  The title

"I LOVE YOU" and the puffy sticker hearts and arrow are the only embellishments I used.  Everything else was either a cut file from my Cameo Silhouette, or flowers cut from the paper collection that I used.  Sometimes less really is more.

I also decided to do a simple black outline around the entire page, and around the photo mats and the flowers.  It was the perfect detail I think. 

Here are a few close up photo's

SUPPLY LIST

Cardstock-Bazzill

Patterned Paper-Crate Paper : Heart Day Collection

Puffy Embellishments-Pebbles

Cut Files-Silhouette Cameo

Black pen-Sharpie

Thanks so much for visiting my blog.  Please feel free to ask any questions and join my blog.

Occasionally I will have a surprise give away and for every comment your name will be entered!!

~Cathryn

Welcome Avery

Hi everyone. I hope you all had a great week.  Probably like me you are happy that the weekend is here!!!!  Today I am sharing a layout that I created for a Hip Kit Club Sketch Challenge.  

I fell in love with this sketch immediately and knew exactly the photo I wanted to use, and the paper collection that I wanted to use.

This sketch had so many possibilities.  

I chose a photo of my youngest granddaughter Avery, that was taken when she was just a few weeks old.  She looks so darn precious. And I chose the collection from Prima called

Heaven Sent.  So appropriate for this darling photo!!!

I am so in love with how this layout turned out!!!!  

I had to change the placement of my photo on the opposite side so I just flipped the sketch.

This Prima Collection is gorgeous beyond words. So soft and delicate and very vintage.

SUPPLIES

Cardstock-Bazzill

Thread-Coats

Letters-Recollections

Doilie-Unknown

Everything else-Prima : Heaven Sent Collection

I hope this sketch and my layout spark your creativity!!!  

Thanks for visiting my blog!!!

~Cathryn

Puddle Fun

Happy Monday everyone!!! I am feeling a bit sleepy today, just trying to get use to the time change.

But I did get some craft and scrap time over the weekend, and also did a complete change of the way I had all of my scrapbooking products organized. 

Up until  this past weekend, all of my embellishments were organized in bins by company.  But after spending forever just looking for a doilie that I knew I had, but could not remember what  company it was from, I decided I needed a change.  I'm hoping that I find it much easier to find what I am looking for so I can spend more time creating and less time searching!!!

Today I am sharing a layout that I created for Mercy Tiara's 27 Day Scrappy Challenge!!

You can pop onto her Facebook page and join in the challenge, and find lots of wonderful inspiration.

This March Challenge was a pretty big stretch for me LOL.  But that is sometimes a good thing.  It is so easy to get stuck in a rut, and just use colours and embellishments that you find easy to create with.  With this Challenge, I stumbled a bit and it took me longer than usual.

Christine Ethier's CHALLENGE

"As the Spring heads our way I was thinking :

1) Design a layout with a prominent diagonal element.

2) Use only pink and yellow papers but include a small touch of purple. 

3) The title should have either something about Spring or something inspirational about life.

4) Finally use two clusters of layered elements that include any mix of stickers, chipboard, enamel dots, resin shapes, or flair.

5) Have fun!!!!

I first went through my papers and my stash searching for anything purple.  Although I love the colour purple,  I find that it is difficult to work with. But I did find a few elements that I could use in my clusters.

Next I went through my Tim Holtz Distress Inks, and found that I had 2 of the new Oxide Inks that worked perfectly. Wilted Violet and Worn Lipstick. For the yellow I didn't have an Oxide but I had Squeezed Lemonade in the Distress Ink. 

I first covered my very light pink cardstock in Clear Gesso. Once that was dry, using a round sponge, I applied all 3 ink colours.  When I was happy with how it all looked I sprinkled some water, and then ran my roll of paper towel over it to quickly pick up the water and some of the ink.  I wanted it to kind of look like rain drops.  It turned out really pretty!!!!

Once my background was dry I mounted it on another piece of cardstock and then I stitched around the edges with purple thread.  Then I added my title, photo, and embellishments.

And this is the finished layout

This layout has way more colour than I ever usually use.  But, I really love how it turned out.  And I love the quote that I found. Little Taylor looks like she is not quite sure if jumping in the puddles is for her LOL.  But once she gets going she is really loving it!!!!

I haven't created my own background before with inks, but I just really love those Oxide Inks and I can't wait to get some more colours and try this technique again!!!

Here are a few close up photos.

How stinkin' adorable is that little yellow rubber boot?  So happy I found that and the Umbrella in my stash. Without doing some organizing, I'm not sure I would have found those.

SUPPLIES

Cardstock-Bazzill

Patterned Paper-Simple Stories

Ink-Tim Holtz : Distress Oxide Worn Lipstick & Wilted Violet

Tim Holtz Distress Ink Squeezed Lemonade

Doilie Diecuts- 

Flowers-Pebbles & Sassfras

Crochet Icon-Prima

Tiny Puffy Houses-AC Amy Tangerine

Rubber Boot & Umbrella-Pink Paislee

Enamel Hearts-Doodlebug

Letters-Woodgrain : Prima, Pink : AC Thickers Sunrise

I hope this layout inspires you to try something new, and to check out

Mercy Tiara's 27 Day Challenge

And remember

"Scrapbooker's don't lie

they embellish"

Thanks for stopping by...........

Cathryn

The Paper Girls Challenge Blog #147 Travel/Vacation

Wow!!!!  I am so behind on blogging.  I just noticed today that I have 3 layouts just sitting waiting to be shared.  Much better than in the past where I didn't blog because I had no crafty mojo LOL!!  Before I get into this project, I would like to invite you to check out The Paper Girls Challenge Blog and join in this challenge.

Also it is a great place to jump start your own creative mojo!!!

Their latest challenge is all about Travelling and Vacations.

Over the past few months I have finally got my poop together and started working on a Disney Vacation Album for my daughter and her family.  It's about time......especially since they have already made 2 trips, and this year they are taking a Disney Cruise.

When I started this album I really struggled because the colours that are perfect for this album are not really easy for me to create with.  But as time goes on I think I am becoming much more comfortable.  I have seen many many layouts created using the silhouette of a large Mickey Mouse head.  And always wanted to give it a try.  So this is what I came up with.

Thanks to all of the beautiful layouts on Pinterest that inspired me to try this out!!!

  

I love, love, love how this turned out!!!!!  I originally tried to do the outline of the mouse using water colour pens.  But it just didn't turn out the way I had it planned in my head.  So instead I decided to machine stitch with 3 different colours......red, black, and yellow.  Then I added some splatters with some Jane Davenport water colour brushes.  If you have never tried them, you should!!!  The colours are simply scrumptious.

Then I just added a bunch of embellishments, a large star, and an absolutely adorable photo of my 2 adorable granddaughters, Blake and Taylor.

 It really turned out better than I thought it would!!!  

SUPPLIES

Cardstock-The Paper Company

Colour-Jane Davenport : Water Colour Brushes in Lobster, Sandbar, and Shark's Eye

Star-Heidi Swapp

Camera & Blue Arrow-Studio Calico

Wood Veneer-Connoisseurs Fundamentals

All other Stickers & Chipboard-Simple Stories : Say Cheese

Mist-Dylusions : Pure Sunshine

Patterned Paper-Simple Stories

Washi Tape-Simple Stories : Say Cheese

I sure hope you enjoyed this layout and you go check out the fun on The Paper Girls Challenge Blog.

Thanks

And remember.....

"You can't use up creativity,

the more you use,

the more you have."

        ~Maya Aangelou

SWEET as can be........

Well now that the Olympics are over, it's about time I got back to blogging.

I totally got hooked on watching every event and just couldn't pull myself away.  LOL.  But I am so happy to get back to creating and expanding my artistic skills.  I truly believe that venting my creative side is what keeps me sane.  Especially when life is difficult.  And right now life has been very difficult and more challenging that I want it to be.  And hopefully in the near future things will settle down, and I can share good news.

In the mean time, back to scrapbooking. This layout I created has turned out to be my all time favourite.  I started out by using a February Challenge from Paper Issues called Bigger is Better.

Basically to use a large title.  After looking through some photos I settled on a photo I have wanted to scrap for a long time.  It is one of my most favourite photos of my granddaughters that was taken right after the youngest was born.  It is such a gorgeous photo and I had been putting off scrapping it, probably because I wanted to make sure I did it justice.

After going through my stash, I decided on the Crate Paper Collection......Little You.

I just love the soft pastel colours, and the dark grey that compliments them so well.

For the large title I chose to use a Silhouette Cut File, and back the word SWEET.

I used some water colours on the background, and contrast letters for the remainder of the title.

I did some stitching on the 3 different patterned papers that I used in the background. And I used some bunched up gold thread under a few of the embellishments to tie in with the gold.

I just really really LOVE how this turned out.  I'm not sure what exactly makes me love this layout so much?  It just makes me super happy !!!!

I hope you enjoy it also and it gives you inspiration to create.  Spreading inspiration is my main goal with my blog.  I am and have been inspired by so many amazing scrapbook artists.  

SUPPLIES

Cardstock-Bazzill

Patterned Paper-Crate Paper : Little You Collection

Thread-Coats

Colour-Prima Watercolour Lemonade & Rose

Jane Davenport Water Colour Pen : Stary Skies

Heidi Swapp Colour Shine : Gold

Flair-AC

Tiny Words-Recollections

We're Here Bubble-Basic Gray : Kneehighs & Bowties

Enamel Cloud-Carta Bella : Rock-a-bye Baby

Black Letters-Webster Storytellers

Thank you Paper Issues for this great Challenge

and remember

"Creativity takes courage"

                 ~Henri Matisse

If you have any questions please feel free to ask

~Cathryn